WHO Director-General's speech at opening ceremony of UHC High-Level Forum – 6 December 2025

Arigato gozaimasu.

I thank Prime Minister Takaichi and Japan for its continued leadership - and congratulations to Japan for its first female Prime Minister - not only is Japan one of the world's leading advocates for UHC, it's one of the leading examples of how to achieve it, and one of the leading supporters of UHC globally.

Also, I would like to pay a tribute to the late Prime Minister Abe, and the stability of Japan's commitment to UHC. Thank you, Keizo for your commitment to UHC.

Today, WHO and the World Bank are launching the latest edition of the UHC Global Monitoring Report, which provides a snapshot of progress towards UHC.

There's good news and bad news.

First the good news: since 2000, service coverage and financial protection have both improved by about one third globally.

Now the bad news: in recent years, progress has stalled.

The latest data show that 4.6 billion people still lack access to essential health services, and 2.1 billion people- more than one in four globally-face financial hardship because of health costs.

Most of these people - 1.6 billion are living in poverty.

Reinvigorating progress on UHC requires three things:

First, strong collaboration between ministries of health and finance - and I'm very pleased to see so many ministers of finance here.

Second, investments in primary health care and financial protection are essential. Primary health care can deliver 90% of the health services people need. But there's no point in providing health services if people are impoverished by having to pay for them.

And third, we need the best evidence on which to base decisions about policies and investments.

I am therefore delighted that together with the Government of Japan and the World Bank, we are today launching the UHC Knowledge Hub here in Tokyo.

Congratulations also to the first eight group of countries.

Excellencies, dear colleagues and friends,

The Constitution of the World Health Organization, which entered into force in 1948, was the first instrument of international law to affirm that health is a fundamental right of all people - an end in itself, but at the same time the means for prosperity and development as well.

Universal health coverage is the ultimate expression of the fundamental right of health to all people.

My thanks once again to Japan, the World Bank and all of you for your commitment to realising the right to health - not as a luxury for some, but a right for all.

Arigato gozaimasu.